With the help of volunteers from the Friends of Wolverhampton Archives, the Low Hill group discovered that the first houses on the estate were built around 100 years ago.
To celebrate the centenary, an exhibition in the Low Hill library is being planned next year, tracing the life of the estate through photos, maps and stories from local people.
This will include memories of working in factories, like Goodyear and Guy Motors, leisure time spent at the Bushbury Arms, the Clifton Cinema and the Penny Bike Park, shopping in Showell Circus and attending local schools and churches.
Jen Lees, Wolverhampton Libraries’ project lead for Know Your Neighbourhood, said: “We already have some very interesting material from the Archives and from people coming to group meetings at the library, but we are keen to hear more memories of living on the estate and to see photos of the area from family albums.”
Councillor Obaida Ahmed, the City of Wolverhampton council’s Cabinet Member for Digital and Community, said: “This is a great opportunity to celebrate the rich history of the area and bring people together.”
Anyone wanting to contribute their memories and photos to the exhibition or who would like to know more about the project is asked to please email Jen via jennifer.lees@wolverhampton.gov.uk or drop into the next group meeting at Low Hill Library at 2pm on Wednesday 15 January.
The Know Your Neighbourhood project involves funding of up to £30 million and is designed to widen participation in volunteering and tackle loneliness in 27 disadvantaged areas across England.
The funding comes from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and has been distributed by Arts Council England (ACE) in partnership with national charity Libraries Connected.
Wolverhampton Libraries was awarded £86,000 which is being used to create a range of social activities in libraries across the city including bereavement social groups, walking groups, arts and crafts sessions, menopause cafes, Diwali celebrations, and several local history groups focusing on distinct areas of the city, such as Low Hill. To find out more about other Know Your Neighbourhood activities, please email jennifer.lees@wolverhampton.gov.uk.
